Utility vehicles include utility bodies mounted to the rear of the chassis of vehicles. The utility bodies have a plurality of storage compartments covered by exterior doors. Utility vehicles are used by companies that have a need for storage, such as telephone companies, electric companies, general contractors, repair companies and the like.
Utility bodies are mounted onto an OEM truck chassis with a cab and no bed. The utility body is mounted onto the rear portion of the chassis in place of the bed. The utility body is provided with a style and color that complement the cab. Utility bodies for such vehicles can have various designs with different numbers, sizes and locations of compartments. Utility bodies typically comprise a pair of body side storage compartment units mounted along rear side portions of the chassis.
Problems can arise in utility vehicles as a result of the manner or materials used in their construction. Typically, the storage compartments of utility bodies are made of metal and comprised of various front, rear, top, bottom and other panels that are interconnected by welding. While welding provides the utility body with desired strength, finishing of the welds removes a corrosion-resistant zinc coating on the metal, exposing the metal to corrosion. Another potential problem with welding is that the location of the welds, though specified by the utility body manufacturer to maximize strength, may not always be made in the specified locations. This could lead to reduced strength of welded utility bodies.
Another issue in conventional construction of utility bodies is the need to square compartments and doors. That is, the utility body's various panels must be square so that the compartments they form and the doors that cover them are properly aligned and square. This requires the use of fixtures for aligning the panels square during welding.
Utility vehicles could benefit from a construction that reduces corrosion, improves the high strength reliability of the utility bodies, and simplifies fabrication.